Matsumoto, Matchmaker
by Raye Lynne
Summary: What happens when the good-intentioned--but completely insane!-- Rangiku decides to play Cupid between Momo and Tōshirō...?


Matsumoto, Matchmaker

Momo's pen glided along the paper – one smooth, flowing curve, them another, a mirror image.

A heart.

Inside, she dreamily scrawled: _H.M. +H.T. _She examined her handiwork, a smile blossoming on her lips.

_"HI, MOMO-CHAN!"_

With a start, Momo hastened to stuff the page under the stack of paperwork she was _supposed _to be doing.

"Um—hi, Rangiku," she said nervously, trying to act nonchalant.

But the busty blonde had seen her hide the paper; with a single deft movement, she grasped the corner and plucked it from its hiding place.

Momo's face reddened. "Rangiku…"

Rangiku's eyes lit up with delight when she read it. "'_H.M. +H.T'?!?!?! _Woot woot! That wouldn't happen to stand for 'Hinamori Momo' and '_Hitsugaya T__ôshirô,' _would it?!"

"No!" said Momo, but her pink cheeks gave her away.

"Momo-chan, that's _great! _Don't worry, I won't tell him." She winked. "I'll leave that to you."

Momo smiled sadly. "Right."

"What? You don't believe me?"

"No, that's not it – I'm never telling him."

Rangiku was horrified. "Why not?!"

"He's a captain – he's got enough responsibilities already, without being in a relationship…"

"That's it? That's no reason –"

"No. I'm afraid that, if I tell him…he'll just laugh. Or get angry."

"But, Momo-chan, you're best friends!"

"Exactly." Momo's lip trembled. "I don't want to risk losing our friendship. It will just have to be enough."

Rangiku thought to herself.

_Maybe not…_

_---------------_

Rangiku returned to the tenth division office, where an annoyed Tôshirô was waiting for her.

"Matsumoto, where were you? You're supposed to be helping me with all of this paperwork." He sighed. "Although, I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything else."

"I was over in the fifth division…talking with Momo," Rangiku said, placing the lightest possible emphasis on the name. "She seemed awfully stressed," she added innocently.

"Why wouldn't she be? She's actually doing her _job, _like any _good _lieutenant should."

Rangiku sighed inwardly. There was no talking to him when he was like this.

With a grimace, she sat down at her desk a pulled a stack of forms in front of her. Then she got an idea.

Sneaking a sidelong glance at the white-haired taichô, Rangiku said casually, "You think she's a good lieutenant, then?"

Tôshirô looked up, his icy blue-green eyes sparking with impatience. "What?"

"You said, 'doing her job like any good lieutenant should'. Does that mean you think she's a good lieutenant?"

He shrugged. "Sure."

"Do you wish she was your lieutenant?"

"At times." He paused. "As opposed to you, you mean?"

"As opposed to anyone."

"I didn't really have a say; she was already taken when the time came to nominate—" he stopped. "It doesn't even matter." He fell silent, and went back to his paperwork.

Rangiku tried again. "Don't you think that Momo-chan has gotten so pretty over the past few years? When she smiles, her eyes look like they're backlit with gold, haven't you noticed?"

Tôshirô threw his pen down. "Matsumoto, what are you trying to say? Just spit it out!"

"Okaaaaaaaay, if you insist."

"Tell me!"

"Alrighty, here goes: _Don't you just looooooooooooove Momo, taichô?!?!"_

"Don't be ridiculous!" he snapped.

But the tips of his ears were red.

_Score! _Thought Rangiku.

"Ha! I knew it!" she cried.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Tôshirô, but the blush had spread to his face.

"Admit it, taichô: I can always tell when you're lying!" Rangiku crowed in triumph.

"All right!" he snapped. "I like Hinamori. So what? Are you happy? Have your laugh: then get to work!"

"Why haven't you asked her out yet?"

"Because I have so much goddamn paperwork to do because _you're not helping me!"_

"Really?"

"Of course not!"

"Then why?"

Tôshirô took in a deep breath. "Because, how would I? Can you really see me telling Hinamori that I like her? I'd make an idiot out of myself, or I'd freeze up, or say the wrong thing entirely."

"You're scared," realized Rangiku.

"I've faced down fourteen Hollows at once without the aid of my bankai," he said bitterly. "But I can't tell my best friend that I like her."

_That must mean 'yes'…_Rangiku reasoned.

There was a long silence, broken by the scratching of a pen on paper – Tôshirô had resumed his work.

"Her eyes, taichô," Rangiku pressed. "You've noticed, haven't you?"

Tôshirô lay his pen down again, but he wouldn't look up. "Yes…I've noticed." He sighed. "Maybe someday…"

Rangiku bent her head over her paperwork to hide her smile. _Someday, _she decided, _is going to come a little sooner than planned…_

**_Phase One: Bait/Intrigue_**

When Momo walked into the office the next morning, a snow-white rose lay on her desk. Attached with a black ribbon was a note, written in rounded, scrawling calligraphy: _More to come, sweet Momo --From your secret admirer  
_  
Momo's first reaction was surprise. Then she almost laughed. 'Sweet Momo?' Then she felt a surge of hope -- only to be shot through by a pang of disappointment. There was no way it was from Tôshirô -- the characters on the page were nothing like his flawlessly structured writing.

Not that he would do something like this anyway...

She placed the rose in a glass of water and promptly forgot about it.

The next day, however, she was reminded again. And the next day. And the next. And every day for the rest of the week.

Each time, there was another rose, always white. A small present would accompany each flower -- hair ribbons, strawberry Pocky (her favourite) and once, a polished stone the exact colour of a peach. And the noted were written in the same difficult-to-decipher scrawl, each with a sweet sentiment, followed by, 'your secret admirer'.

At this point, Momo was intrigued. Who could be interested din her? And how could she find out?

----------

Tôshirô, meanwhile, was facing a similar problem. All week, he, too had been receiving random gifts delivered to his desk in the mornings. Chocolates, shiny new pens, and the like, each coupled with a note that was either sappy to the point of inducing nausea, or just plain weird. His personal most-loathed was: _Roses are red, violets are blue, you're eyes are green, but they're kind of blue, too, and they're pretty! -- xo from your secret admirer._

His first impulse was to throw everything out, but something was preventing him. This had nothing to do with the fact that the pens were extremely useful, and the chocolates were delicious -- well, not really, anyway.

After the fourth day, it occurred to him: could it be Momo sending the gifts? It was the sort of thing she would do...the gifts were very impersonal, but maybe that was so he wouldn't guess it was her. The calligraphy didn't look like hers, either, but maybe she had disguised that, too.

If it was Momo -- now was an excellent opportunity to return the favour. He pulled open one of his desk drawers, and began rummaging around in the back. On his last mission to the human world, he had seen something that was absolutely perfect for Momo, and he'd bought it right away. He'd hid it in his desk, waiting for the perfect time to give it to her.

He frowned. He was certain it had been in the top-right drawer...he pulled out another and began to search through it.

He would place it on her desk with an unsigned note. If Momo was the secret admirer, she would likely realize that it was from him, and that he returned her feelings.

If it wasn't Momo...well, she'd have her gift, anyway.

If he could find it, that is!

Later, Rangiku walked in to find her captain on the floor, his desk completely gutted, with papers strewn all over the room.

"Taichô, what's going on?" she cried. "What are you doing?"

"Reorganizing," snapped Tôshirô.

"Oh," said Rangiku. "Well, have fun with that!" And she skipped out of the room, oblivious to Tôshirô staring daggers at her back.

He looked at the mess he'd made. It was no use: Momo's gift wasn't here.

He sighed.

It was probably all just wishful thinking, anyway.

_**Phase Two: Invitation**_

On the morning of the seventh day, Momo walked into her office to find a small purple velvet box with a white ribbon on top. She picked it up, flicked back the hinged lid, and gasped: nestled in the box's silk-lined interior was a tiny silver ring.

She carefully pulled the delicate piece out to examine it further. It was an intricate band of glistening silver, wrought in the shape of two blossoming peach branches, weaving in and out of one another.

There was a note attached to the inside of the lid. Momo removed and unfolded it; it read:

_My dearest Momo,_

_I can no longer bear to keep my affections a secret from you. I want you to know who I am so that I may know, at long last, if you feel the same way. Please meet me in the peach grove and sunset tonight. I will be waiting for you. If you don't want to come, I will understand, but please know that I will be heartbroken._

_-Your (soon-to-not-be-) secret admirer_

Momo looked at the ring. It was a truly beautiful and heartfelt gift. Surely whoever had bought it deserved a chance…?

She slid the ring onto the little finger of her left hand.

_The peach grove at sunset…_

_I'll be there, _Momo decided.

------------

When he opened the large box on his desk on the seventh morning, Tôshirô was surprised to find it empty.

Well, not completely. There was a folded note I the bottom; he took it out and read it.

_Dearest Darling Tôshirô,_

_It pains me to have to conceal my identity from you, and I can stand it no longer. Please come and meet me in the peach grove tonight at sundown, if you would like a big surprise!_

_--Your secret (for now!) admirer_

_P.S. In case you were wondering, the box is full of my love for you;)_

_Oh, please, _thought Tôshirô. He'd realized by now that it couldn't possibly be Momo who was doing this – she would never write those corny sentiments.

But he would go to the peach grove anyway, for some peace of mind, and to tell whoever it was to knock it off.

_**Phase Three: Face-to-face**_

The trees of the peach grove were in full bloom, and the evening breeze caressed the branches, coaxing a rain of gossamer pink blossoms. The remaining half-disk of the sun painted the whole scene in an aura of gold.

_It's beautiful, _thought Momo, as she walked through the carpet of fallen petals. _I should come here at sunset more often._

She caught a glimpse of a white haori -- one step closer and she saw it was Tôshirô, leaning against a tree trunk.

Immediately, Momo felt her heart fluttering.

"Hi, Tôshirô."

He looked up; his eyes widened slightly. "Hinamori...?"

"Are you waiting for someone?"

"Yes..." Maybe he'd been wrong, and it really was--

"Me, too," said Momo, and Tôshirô's hops crashed and burned.

They were silent for a minute, when Tôshirô asked, "Who are you waiting for?"

"Well," said Momo, laughing nervously, "I don't really know."

"What do you mean...?"

"All week long, I've been receiving presents and flowers and notes--but I don't know who they're from. Whoever it is calls themselves my 'secret admirer'." Momo realized how awkward it was that she had just said this to the boy she liked. Self-consciously, she reached her left hand up to push her black bangs away from her face.

"Me, too."

Momo froze, her arm still bent up towards her face. "Really?"

"Yes...I'm supposed to meet them here, now."

"Well, maybe I should go, then...I don't want too intrude on anything." Momo lowered her hand, and the last rays of the sun glinted off her ring.

Tôshirô's sharp eyes caught the flash. "What's that on your hand?"

"It's a ring--I found it on my desk this morning." She extended her hand so he could see. He carefully took her hand, turning it to examine the ring. Even this sent a thrill shooting through Momo.

"Impossible," said Tôshirô. "How...?"

"What is it?"

"I bought that ring."

"What?"

"A little while ago, I bought that ring --for you. I was waiting for the right time to give it to you, but, a few days ago, I discovered it was missing..."

Momo's eyes welled up with tears. "It's so beautiful…thank you, Tôshirô."

"You're welcome. I just wish I could have given it to you myself…"

Momo faltered, struck by something. "Tôshirô…why did you buy me a ring?"

Tôshirô's mind went blank.

_Dammit…! I'm freezing up, just like I knew I would. Come one…just say it!_

"Tôshirô…?"

All at once, he knew exactly what to do.

He gave Momo a crooked smile. "Isn't it obvious?"

Then he leaned forward and kissed her.

She tasted like strawberry Pocky for some reason…

…not that he was complaining.

After a moment, he tried to pull back, to judge her reaction. But that proved to not be necessary – the instant his lips left hers, she twined her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer.

After what felt like an eternity, they broke apart, breathless.

"The one I was supposed to meet…" started Tôshirô.

"…It was you all along," said Momo, echoing his thoughts. "That's the only answer. But who could have…?"

"I should have known by the writing in the notes; I _knew _it looked familiar! But with the ring disappearing from my desk – it could only have been Matsumoto!"

"You mean she…?"

"It looks like it…"

"You're not mad at her, are you?"

"Momo," he said seriously. "Why would I be mad?"

"Oh…right." Momo blushed. She looked around. "If I know Rangiku, then she's hiding around here somewhere…"

"Then why don't we let her know her plan worked?" offered Tôshirô.

"How do we do that?" asked Momo.

"Simple." Tôshirô took her hand, and together, they walked deeper into the lengthening shadows cast by the peach trees, and they eventually disappeared from sight into the embrace of the swirling blossom rain.

_**Six months later…**_

"You're drunk," Momo accused.

"Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe," said Rangiku.

"Shouldn't this wait until you're sober?"

"No, no, nope, no, 'girl talk' is far to important to be pos—possponse—"

"'Postponed'?"

"Exactly!" Rangiku flopped onto her futon, patting the space beside her; Momo sat down gingerly.

"Sooooo?" said Rangiku with a huge grin.

"What is it?"

"How are you and Tôshirô doing?"

Momo brightened. "Great! Absolutely great! You know how happy I am that you brought us together…he won't admit it, but he is, too."

"Good, good!" Rangiku grinned impishly. "So…I simply am dying of curiosity…how is he?"

Momo was confused. "Um…he's fine…"

Rangiku burst into laughter. "No, no," she giggled. "I mean—" she waggled her eyebrows suggestively – "how _is _he?"

Momo frowned. ":I don't know what you—" Then it clicked. "R-Rangiku!" she stuttered, her face scarlet.

The older woman seemed affronted. "Don't tell me – after all the trouble I went to set you two up, and you haven't even _slept together yet?"_

"We-we're barely even teenagers!" Momo protested.

"Is that his excuse or yours?"

"It's the truth…!"

Rangiku wasn't listening. "I bet it's his…I wonder what his problem is…" she started to rise to her feet, unsteadily. "I'll go and talk to him!"

"_No!" _Momo leaped up and none-too-gently pushed Rangiku by the shoulders until she was sitting back down. "That won't be necessary!"

"Yes, it will," Rangiku insisted. Luckily, though, the sake was kicking in, and she was soon passed out, snoring slightly.

Momo decided now was the time to book it.

She hurriedly left the room, but Tôshirô's door, directly across the hallway, was open, and he was standing in the doorway.

He smirked. "Nicely done."

Momo felt herself blushing again. "You heard all of that?"

"These doors are anything but soundproof," he said. "Trust me, that's the _least _emotionally-scarring thing I've heard in a while. For example, when Gin comes over—" he cringed. "I have many, _many _horror stories. All of them, unfortunately, audible."

"Should we be having this conversation out in the open…?" said Momo, trying not to let what she'd just heard disturb her too much. (Too late…)

"I thought we just established that it makes little difference; but, if it makes you feel better…" they stepped into Tôshirô's room and shut the door.

"T-Tôshirô?"

"Yes?"

"What I said—to Rangiku—was true, so don't take this the wrong way. But, I mean – do you think--?"

Tôshirô raised an eyebrow. "Is this going where I think it's going?"

If Momo didn't stop blushing soon, she was going to be permanently pink.

"I just mean—do you think we'll ever get to that point? I mean—will we last long enough?" She sighed. "I know, I'm being silly. Forget it."

Tôshirô placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed her lightly. "Dummy," he whispered. "Of course we will. After all, I've been putting up with you my entire life – Bedwetter."

"I suppose you have – Shiro-chan."

"Don't call me that."

"You started it," Momo pointed out. "Shiro-chan," she added innocently.

"Stop it."

"Shiro-chan!"

"I said, stop."

"Too late, Shiro-chan!"

"All right, if you're going to—"

"Shiro-chan!"

"—be that way, then—"

"Shiro-chan!"

"Bedwetter!"

"Shiro-chan!"

"Bedwetter!"

"Shiro-chan Shiro-chan Shiro-chan Shiro-chan Shiro-chan Shiro-chanShiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirooooooooooooooooo-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!"

"All right! All right! I give up! I can't take any more!" Tôshirô dramatically declared.

And he playfully pushed Momo away.

Momo, however, was not expecting this. She grabbed Tôshirô's haori the same instant she stumbled back a step; his weight was enough to topple them both over.

Tôshirô grabbed the front of Momo's robes to try and catch them both, but they were already falling—

They landed with a _fwmp! _On Tôshirô's futon—with him right on top of her.

To make things more awkward, the impact had jarred one of his hands so that it slid into the crossover neckline of Momo's robes…

"Sorry…" he mumbled.

Before they could make a move to remedy their situation, though…the door burst open.

(Of course it did. What did you expect?)

"'Atta girl, Momo-chan!" cried Rangiku. "Make 'im lust after it!"

Tôshirô pushed himself off Momo like he'd been burned, and she scrambled backwards away from him.

"What's your problem?! Get out of here!" Tôshirô barked. "Go sober up!"

She left, laughing and spin-skipping. "Wheeeeeeeeee!" she squealed. "Love is in the air!"

When Momo and Tôshirô dared to make eye contact, the burst out laughing.

"You know, Tôshirô," giggled Momo. "When 'the time' comes…"

"Your room?"

"Yes!"

--------

Rangiku lay in bed, giggling to herself.

"Momo and Shiiiiiro, sittin' in a tree: f-u-c-k-i-n-g…"

_They're soooooooooooooo cute together! _She thought. _I can definitely pick a good pairing!!! Gooooooooo meeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!_

Even in a drunken stupor, she managed an evil grin.

_Now…who's next?_

----------------

A/N: Oh, so amusing to write! Deliciously corny and ridiculously sentimental, then with possibly the stupid-est ending ever! Mwa-ha! I am evil...

...or possibly just crazy.

I hope you liked it, though, but this is definitely a fic I wrote for my own amusement rather than reviews...oh well! That's not to say I don't want you to review.

PLEASE REVIEW!

^_^

~Raye Lynne


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